Press Play with Madeleine Brand: California case: free speech v. abortion rightsCrisis pregnancy centers are generally run by pro-life groups that aim to convince pregnant women not to get abortions. A California law requires that employees tell their clients that the state offers free and low-cost abortions and other family planning services. Now a group of these centers is arguing that the law violates their freedom of speech.

UnFictionalUnbelievably true stories of chance encounters that changed the world. A pair of mail-order shoes that led to the film The Outsiders. A secret road to a California paradise. The day LA and smog first met. Stories that will stick in your head like a memory. It’s UnFictional, hosted by Bob Carlson.

The DocumentThe Document is a new kind of mash-up between documentaries and radio. It goes beyond clips and interviews, mining great stories from the raw footage of documentaries present, past and in-progress. A new episode is available every other Wednesday on iTunes and wherever fine podcasts are downloaded.

To the PointA weekly reality-check on the issues Americans care about most. Host Warren Olney draws on his decades of experience to explore the people and issues shaping – and disrupting - our world. How did everything change so fast? Where are we headed? The conversations are informal, edgy and always informative. If Warren's asking, you want to know the answer.

FROM THIS EPISODE

Westside commuters are getting their first chance to take rapid transit all the way downtown, but what about getting from home to the station and back and paying for parking? Also, LA County's elected County Assessor denies doing favors for campaign contributors. We hear about investigations of possible bribery and campaign money laundering. And how about them Clippers? On our rebroadcast of today's To the Point, LA since the Rodney King riots. What can it show the rest of the country?

Banner image: An Expo Line test train rests at the La Cienega station, with the downtown LA skyline in the distance. Photo by Steve Hymon/Metro

For the first time since the Red Cars, there's a train from Culver City to Downtown LA. After a weekend of free rides from the Westside to downtown and back, Metro's new Expo Line opened today for paying commuters. KCRW's Saul Gonzalez was at the La Cienega-Jefferson station, the Expo Line's furthest point west, and spoke with riders.

LA Councilman and Metro Board Member Jos&eacute; Huizar (R)was on hand at the 7th/Metro Center station to greet Expo and Blue Line passengers,promote the new line and hand out commemorative pins.

The District Attorney's office last week served search warrants in 12 locations, including the home of LA County's elected Tax Assessor, John Noguez, and the home of a tax agent in Phoenix named Ramin Salari. No charges have been filed yet, but Gene Maddaus is writing for the LA Weekly about possible money laundering and bribery.

Last night in Memphis, Tennessee, the LA Clippers were behind the Grizzlies by 24 points with just nine minutes remaining. Their first game of the first round of the NBA playoffs looked like a snooze -- and then something amazing happened. After a run of 26 points to one, the Clippers managed a one-point victory. Jill Painter was there for the Daily News.